# Oldham (UK Parliament constituency)

Oldham was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Oldham, England. It returned two Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The constituency was created by the Reform Act 1832 and was abolished for the 1950 general election when it was split into the Oldham East and Oldham West constituencies.
The Oldham constituency was where Winston Churchill began his political career. Although taking two attempts to succeed, in the 1900 general election Churchill was elected as the member of Parliament for Oldham. He held the constituency for the Conservative Party until he defected from them in defence of free trade in 1904. He then represented the Liberal Party as MP for the seat until the 1906 general election.

## Boundaries

Though centred on Oldham (the town), the constituency covered a much broader territory; Shaw and Crompton, Royton, Chadderton and Lees all formed part of this district, though these were each granted individual urban district status at a local government level in 1894.
1885–1918: The existing parliamentary borough, and so much of the municipal borough of Oldham as was not already included in the parliamentary borough.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | 1st Member | 1st Member | 1st Party | 2nd Member | 2nd Member | 2nd Party |
| 1832 | | John Fielden | Radical | | William Cobbett | Radical |
| 1835 by-election | | John Fielden | Radical | | John Frederick Lees | Conservative |
| 1837 | | John Fielden | Radical | | William Augustus Johnson | Radical |
| 1847 | | William Johnson Fox | Radical | | John Duncuft | Peelite |
| 1852 | | John Morgan Cobbett$^a$ | Radical | | John Duncuft | Peelite |
| 1852 by-election | | John Morgan Cobbett$^a$ | Radical | | William Johnson Fox | Radical |
| 1857 | | John Morgan Cobbett$^a$ | Radical | | James Platt | Radical |
| 1857 by-election | | John Morgan Cobbett$^a$ | Radical | | William Johnson Fox | Radical |
| 1859 | | John Morgan Cobbett$^a$ | Liberal | | William Johnson Fox | Liberal |
| 1862 by-election | | John Morgan Cobbett$^a$ | Liberal | | J. T. Hibbert | Liberal |
| 1865 | | John Platt | Liberal | | J. T. Hibbert | Liberal |
| 1872 by-election | | John Morgan Cobbett $^a$ | Conservative | | J. T. Hibbert | Liberal |
| 1874 | | John Morgan Cobbett $^a$ | Conservative | | Frederick Spinks | Conservative |
| 1877 by-election | | J. T. Hibbert | Liberal | | Frederick Spinks | Conservative |
| 1880 | | J. T. Hibbert | Liberal | | Hon. Edward Stanley | Liberal |
| 1885 | | J. T. Hibbert | Liberal | | James Mackenzie Maclean | Conservative |
| 1886 | | Elliott Lees | Conservative | | James Mackenzie Maclean | Conservative |
| 1892 | | Joshua Milne Cheetham | Liberal | | J. T. Hibbert | Liberal |
| 1895 | | Robert Ascroft | Conservative | | James Francis Oswald | Conservative |
| 1899 by-election | | Rt Hon. Alfred Emmott | Liberal | | Walter Runciman | Liberal |
| 1900 | | Rt Hon. Alfred Emmott | Liberal | | Winston Churchill $^b$ | Conservative |
| 1904 | | Rt Hon. Alfred Emmott | Liberal | | Winston Churchill $^b$ | Liberal |
| 1906 | | Rt Hon. Alfred Emmott | Liberal | | John Albert Bright | Liberal |
| 1910 (Jan) | | Rt Hon. Alfred Emmott | Liberal | | Sir William Barton | Liberal |
| 1911 by-election | | Edmund Bartley-Denniss $^c$ | Conservative | | Sir William Barton | Liberal |
| 1918 | | Edmund Bartley-Denniss $^c$ | Coalition Conservative | | Sir William Barton | Coalition Liberal |
| 1922 | | Sir Edward Grigg | National Liberal | | William John Tout | Labour |
| 1923 | | Sir Edward Grigg | Liberal | | William John Tout | Labour |
| 1924 | | Sir Edward Grigg | Liberal | | Duff Cooper | Conservative |
| 1925 by-election | | William Wiggins | Liberal | | Duff Cooper | Conservative |
| 1929 | | Rev. Gordon Lang | Labour | | James Wilson | Labour |
| 1931 | | Anthony Crossley | Conservative | | Hamilton Kerr | Conservative |
| 1935 | | John Dodd | National Liberal | | Hamilton Kerr | Conservative |
| 1945 | | Frank Fairhurst | Labour | | Leslie Hale | Labour |
| 1950 | Multi member constituency abolished - see Oldham East and Oldham West | Multi member constituency abolished - see Oldham East and Oldham West | Multi member constituency abolished - see Oldham East and Oldham West | Multi member constituency abolished - see Oldham East and Oldham West | Multi member constituency abolished - see Oldham East and Oldham West | Multi member constituency abolished - see Oldham East and Oldham West |
Notes:-
* $^a$ J M Cobbett's political affiliations are complicated. He had stood unsuccessfully on an all-Radical 'plague on both your houses' slate with John Fielden in 1847. He was elected in 1852 as the Radical half of an explicit Radical-Tory alliance. At the 1857 election he was opposed by two Liberals and denied that he had sold out to Palmerston, asserting that the Liberal Chief Whip had no confidence in him. In 1865 he stood unsuccessfully in conjunction with a Conservative, opposed by two Liberals. Nonetheless, from 1852 to 1865 outside Oldham he was generally taken to be a Liberal. From 1872 to his death in 1877 he sat as a Conservative (but one calling for annual Parliaments and manhood suffrage)
* $^b$ Churchill changed his party allegiance in April 1904.
* $^c$ Denniss changed his surname to Bartley-Denniss, when he was knighted in 1922.

## Elections
### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1832: Oldham (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Radical | YJohn Fielden | 677 | 43.0 |
| | Radical | YWilliam Cobbett | 645 | 40.9 |
| | Whig | Benjamin Heywood Bright | 150 | 9.5 |
| | Tory | William Burge | 101 | 6.4 |
| | Whig | George Stephen | 3 | 0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 495 | 31.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 848 | 75.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,131 | |
| | Radical win (new seat) | Radical win (new seat) | Radical win (new seat) | Radical win (new seat) |
| | Radical win (new seat) | Radical win (new seat) | Radical win (new seat) | Radical win (new seat) |
General election 1835: Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Radical | YJohn Fielden | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Radical | YWilliam Cobbett | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,029 | |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold |
Cobbett's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 8 July 1835: Oldham (1 seat) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | YJohn Frederick Lees | 394 | 48.7 |
| | Radical | John Morgan Cobbett | 381 | 47.1 |
| | Radical | Feargus O'Connor | 34 | 4.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13 | 1.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 809 | 78.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,029 | |
| | Conservative gain from Radical | Conservative gain from Radical | Conservative gain from Radical | Conservative gain from Radical |
General election 1837: Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Radical | YWilliam Augustus Johnson | 545 | 32.4 |
| | Radical | YJohn Fielden | 541 | 32.2 |
| | Conservative | Joseph Jones | 315 | 18.8 |
| | Conservative | John Frederick Lees | 279 | 16.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 226 | 13.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 859 | 62.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,372 | |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1841: Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | YJohn Fielden | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Radical | YWilliam Augustus Johnson | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,467 | | |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold |
General election 1847: Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | YWilliam Johnson Fox | 726 | 27.3 | N/A |
| | Peelite | YJohn Duncuft | 696 | 26.2 | New |
| | Radical | John Morgan Cobbett | 624 | 23.5 | N/A |
| | Radical | John Fielden | 612 | 23.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,329 (est) | 78.6 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,691 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 30 | 1.1 | N/A |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Swing | N/A | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 84 | 3.2 | N/A |
| | Peelite gain from Radical | Peelite gain from Radical | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1852: Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | YJohn Morgan Cobbett | 957 | 36.8 | +13.3 |
| | Peelite | YJohn Duncuft | 868 | 33.4 | +7.2 |
| | Radical | William Johnson Fox | 777 | 29.9 | +2.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,301 (est) | 68.8 (est) | −9.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,890 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 89 | 3.4 | +2.3 |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Swing | +4.9 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 91 | 3.5 | +0.3 |
| | Peelite hold | Peelite hold | Swing | −11.6 | |
Duncuft's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 3 December 1852: Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | YWilliam Johnson Fox | 895 | 53.3 | −13.4 |
| | Conservative | James Heald | 783 | 46.7 | +13.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 112 | 6.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,678 | 84.8 | +16.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,978 | | |
| | Radical gain from Peelite | Radical gain from Peelite | Swing | −13.3 | |
General election 1857: Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | YJohn Morgan Cobbett | 949 | 34.1 | −2.7 |
| | Radical | YJames Platt | 934 | 33.6 | N/A |
| | Radical | William Johnson Fox | 898 | 32.3 | +2.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 36 | 1.3 | −2.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,391 (est) | 66.3 (est) | −2.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,098 | | |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | Radical gain from Peelite | Radical gain from Peelite | Swing | N/A | |
Platt's death caused a by-election.
By-election, 19 October 1857: Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | William Johnson Fox | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold | Radical hold |
General election 1859: Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | YWilliam Johnson Fox | 1,039 | 35.1 | +2.8 |
| | Liberal | YJohn Morgan Cobbett | 966 | 32.6 | −1.5 |
| | Liberal | J. T. Hibbert | 955 | 32.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11 | 0.3 | −1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,480 (est) | 68.8 (est) | +2.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,151 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1860s

Fox's resignation caused a by-election.
By-election, 5 May 1862: Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | YJ. T. Hibbert | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Liberal hold |
General election 1865: Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | YJ. T. Hibbert | 1,104 | 28.1 | −4.2 |
| | Liberal | YJohn Platt | 1,075 | 27.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal | John Morgan Cobbett | 899 | 22.9 | −9.7 |
| | Conservative | Frederick Spinks | 846 | 21.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 176 | 4.5 | +4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,962 (est) | 85.9 (est) | +17.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,285 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | | |
General election 1868: Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | YJ. T. Hibbert | 6,140 | 25.1 | −3.0 |
| | Liberal | YJohn Platt | 6,122 | 25.0 | −2.4 |
| | Conservative | John Morgan Cobbett | 6,116 | 25.0 | +2.1 |
| | Conservative | Frederick Spinks | 6,084 | 24.9 | +3.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6 | 0.0 | −4.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,231 (est) | 90.9 (est) | +5.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 13,454 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −2.9 | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −2.6 | |

### Elections in the 1870s

Platt's death caused a by-election.
1872 Oldham by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | YJohn Morgan Cobbett | 7,278 | 51.0 | +1.1 |
| | Liberal | Edward Stanley | 6,984 | 49.0 | −1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 294 | 2.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,262 | 88.8 | −2.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 16,063 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +1.1 | |
General election 1874: Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | YFrederick Spinks | 8,582 | 25.3 | +0.4 |
| | Conservative | YJohn Morgan Cobbett | 8,541 | 25.2 | +0.2 |
| | Liberal | J. T. Hibbert | 8,397 | 24.8 | −0.3 |
| | Liberal | Edward Stanley | 8,360 | 24.7 | −0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 222 | 1.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 144 | 0.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 16,940 (est) | 91.3 (est) | +0.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 18,560 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +0.4 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +0.3 | |
Cobbett's death caused a by-election.
1877 Oldham by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | YJ. T. Hibbert | 9,542 | 51.9 | +2.4 |
| | Conservative | Thomas Evans Lees | 8,831 | 48.1 | −2.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 711 | 3.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 18,373 | 90.7 | −0.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 20,249 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +2.4 | |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1880: Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | YJ. T. Hibbert | 10,630 | 27.5 | +2.7 |
| | Liberal | YEdward Stanley | 10,409 | 27.0 | +2.3 |
| | Conservative | Frederick Spinks | 8,982 | 23.3 | −2.0 |
| | Conservative | Smith Taylor-Whitehead | 8,593 | 22.3 | −2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,037 | 5.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,427 | 3.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 19,307 (est) | 91.6 (est) | +0.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 21,084 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +2.4 | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +2.6 | |
General election 1885: Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | YJ. T. Hibbert | 12,259 | 25.7 | −1.8 |
| | Conservative | YJames Mackenzie Maclean | 11,992 | 25.2 | +1.9 |
| | Liberal | Edward Stanley | 11,847 | 24.9 | −2.1 |
| | Conservative | Smith Taylor-Whitehead | 11,491 | 24.9 | +1.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 24,016 | 93.8 | +2.2 (est) |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 25,600 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 768 | 1.5 | −2.2 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −1.9 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 145 | 0.3 | N/A |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +2.0 | |
General election 1886: Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | YJames Mackenzie Maclean | 11,606 | 25.8 | +0.6 |
| | Conservative | YElliot Lees | 11,484 | 25.6 | +1.4 |
| | Liberal | J. T. Hibbert | 10,921 | 24.3 | −1.4 |
| | Liberal | Joshua Cheetham | 10,891 | 24.3 | −0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 563 | 1.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 22,608 | 88.3 | −5.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 25,600 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.6 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +1.4 | |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1892: Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | YJoshua Cheetham | 12,619 | 25.6 | +1.3 |
| | Liberal | YJ. T. Hibbert | 12,541 | 25.4 | +1.1 |
| | Conservative | Elliot Lees | 12,205 | 24.7 | −0.8 |
| | Conservative | James Mackenzie Maclean | 11,952 | 24.2 | −1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 677 | 1.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 336 | 0.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 24,857 (est) | 89.0 | +0.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 27,929 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +1.1 | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +1.4 | |
General election 1895: Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | YRobert Ascroft | 13,085 | 26.2 | +1.5 |
| | Conservative | YJames Oswald | 12,465 | 25.0 | +0.8 |
| | Liberal | Adam Lee | 12,249 | 24.6 | −1.0 |
| | Liberal | J. T. Hibbert | 12,092 | 24.2 | −1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 993 | 2.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 216 | 0.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 25,185 (est) | 87.5 | −1.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 28,783 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +1.2 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +1.0 | |
Ascroft’s death and Oswald's resignation caused a by-election.
1899 Oldham by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | YAlfred Emmott | 12,976 | 26.7 | +2.1 |
| | Liberal | YWalter Runciman | 12,770 | 26.2 | +2.0 |
| | Conservative | Winston Churchill | 11,477 | 23.6 | −2.6 |
| | Conservative | James Mawdsley | 11,449 | 23.5 | −1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,527 | 3.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,293 | 2.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 24,546 (est) | 86.2 | −1.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 28,476 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +2.4 | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +1.8 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1900: Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | YAlfred Emmott | 12,947 | 25.3 | +0.7 |
| | Conservative | YWinston Churchill | 12,931 | 25.3 | −0.9 |
| | Liberal | Walter Runciman | 12,709 | 24.9 | +0.7 |
| | Conservative | Charles Birch Crisp | 12,522 | 24.5 | −0.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,109 | 87.9 | +0.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 29,253 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 425 | 0.8 | N/A |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +0.6 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 222 | 0.4 | 0.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −0.8 | |
General election 1906: Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | YAlfred Emmott | 17,397 | 30.3 | +5.0 |
| | Liberal | YJohn Bright | 16,672 | 29.0 | +4.1 |
| | Conservative | Charles Birch Crisp | 11,989 | 20.9 | −3.6 |
| | Conservative | E. L. Hartley | 11,391 | 19.8 | −5.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 57,449 | 89.3 | +1.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 32,387 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,683 | 8.1 | N/A |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +4.3 | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +3.9 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election January 1910: Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | YAlfred Emmott | 19,252 | 30.0 | −0.3 |
| | Liberal | YWilliam Barton | 18,840 | 29.4 | +0.4 |
| | Conservative | Joseph Hilton | 13,462 | 21.0 | +0.1 |
| | Conservative | Sidney Stott | 12,577 | 19.6 | −0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,378 | 8.4 | +0.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 64,131 | 91.8 | +2.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 35,315 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −0.2 | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +0.2 | |
General election December 1910: Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | YAlfred Emmott | 17,108 | 28.1 | −1.9 |
| | Liberal | YWilliam Barton | 16,941 | 27.9 | −1.5 |
| | Conservative | Arthur Edward Wrigley | 13,440 | 22.1 | +1.1 |
| | Conservative | Edmund Bartley-Denniss | 13,281 | 21.9 | +2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,501 | 5.8 | −2.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 60,770 | 86.8 | −5.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 35,315 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −1.5 | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −1.3 | |
1911 Oldham by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | YEdmund Bartley-Denniss | 12,255 | 40.4 | −3.6 |
| | Liberal | Arthur Stanley | 10,623 | 35.0 | −21.0 |
| | Labour | William C. Robinson | 7,448 | 24.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,632 | 5.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 30,326 | 85.1 | −1.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 35,626 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +8.7 | |
General Election 1914–15:
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;
* Liberal: W. H. Sumnervell
* Unionist: John Radcliffe Platt, Edmund Bartley-Denniss
* Labour: William C. Robinson
General election 1918: Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Unionist | YEdmund Bartley-Denniss | 26,568 | 34.3 | +12.4 |
| C | Liberal | YWilliam Barton | 26,254 | 34.0 | +6.1 |
| | Labour | William C. Robinson | 15,178 | 19.6 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Walter Rea | 9,323 | 12.1 | −16.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 77,323 | 54.2 | −32.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 71,378 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17,245 | 22.2 | N/A |
| | Unionist gain from Liberal | Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | +14.2 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,076 | 14.4 | +8.6 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | | |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1922: Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National Liberal | YEdward Grigg | 24,762 | 28.0 | N/A |
| | Labour | YWilliam Tout | 24,434 | 27.7 | +8.1 |
| | Unionist | Samuel Smethurst | 23,200 | 26.2 | −8.1 |
| | Liberal | William Tudor Davies | 9,812 | 11.1 | −22.9 |
| | Liberal | Mary Emmott | 6,186 | 7.0 | −5.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 88,394 | 62.6 | +8.4 |
| | National Liberal gain from Liberal | National Liberal gain from Liberal | Swing | N/A | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,950 | 16.7 | N/A |
| | Labour gain from Unionist | Labour gain from Unionist | Swing | +8.1 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,234 | 1.5 | N/A |
General election 1923: Oldham (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | YWilliam Tout | 20,939 | 23.4 | −4.3 |
| | Liberal | YEdward Grigg | 20,681 | 23.2 | −4.8 |
| | Liberal | William Wiggins | 17,990 | 20.1 | +9.0 |
| | Unionist | W.E. Freeman | 15,819 | 17.7 | N/A |
| | Unionist | Samuel Smethurst | 13,894 | 15.6 | −10.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,949 | 3.3 | +1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,862 | 5.5 | −11.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 89,323 | 76.3 | +13.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | | |
General election 1924: Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | YDuff Cooper | 37,419 | 31.2 | |
| | Liberal | YEdward Grigg | 36,761 | 30.7 | |
| | Labour | William Tout | 23,623 | 19.7 | |
| | Labour | James Wilson | 22,081 | 18.4 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,796 | 11.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 119,884 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | | |
| | Unionist gain from Labour | Unionist gain from Labour | Swing | | |
1925 Oldham by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | YWilliam Wiggins | 26,325 | 54.8 | +24.1 |
| | Labour | William Tout | 21,702 | 45.2 | +25.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,623 | 9.6 | −1.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,027 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | | |
General election 1929: Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | YGordon Lang | 34,223 | 26.2 | +6.5 |
| | Labour | YJames Wilson | 32,727 | 25.0 | +6.6 |
| | Unionist | Duff Cooper | 29,424 | 22.5 | −8.7 |
| | Liberal | John Dodd | 20,810 | 15.9 | −14.8 |
| | Liberal | George James Jenkins | 13,528 | 10.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,413 | 10.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,303 | 2.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 130,712 | 81.2 | |
| | Labour gain from Liberal | Labour gain from Liberal | Swing | | |
| | Labour gain from Unionist | Labour gain from Unionist | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1931: Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | YAnthony Crossley | 50,693 | 32.5 | |
| | Conservative | YHamilton Kerr | 50,395 | 32.3 | |
| | Labour | Gordon Lang | 28,629 | 18.3 | |
| | Labour | James Wilson | 26,361 | 16.9 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21,766 | 14.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 24,034 | 15.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 156,348 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
General election 1935: Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | YHamilton Kerr | 36,738 | 25.51 | |
| | National Liberal | YJohn Dodd | 34,755 | 24.13 | |
| | Labour | Gordon Lang | 34,316 | 23.83 | |
| | Labour | Matthew Burrow Farr | 29,647 | 20.58 | |
| | Liberal | William Gretton Ward | 8,534 | 5.92 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,983 | 1.68 | −12.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 143,990 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | National Liberal gain from Conservative | National Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
General Election 1939–40
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;
* Conservative: Hamilton Kerr
* Liberal National: John Dodd
* Labour: Leslie Hale, D A Mainds
* Liberal: James Taylor Middleton

### Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Oldham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | YFrank Fairhurst | 31,704 | 23.9 | |
| | Labour | YLeslie Hale | 31,327 | 23.6 | |
| | Conservative | Hamilton Kerr | 26,911 | 20.3 | |
| | National Liberal | John Dodd | 24,199 | 18.2 | |
| | Liberal | James Taylor Middleton | 10,365 | 7.8 | |
| | Liberal | Thomas Donald Farrell Powell | 8,264 | 6.2 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,505 | 5.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,416 | 3.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 132,770 | 74.6 | |
| | Labour gain from National Liberal | Labour gain from National Liberal | Swing | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |